Concurrent and Consecutive

Consecutive has a good deal in common with the complementary word concurrent. Besides the fact that both begin with the prefix con- (meaning “with, together”), each word deals with the time-order in which several things happen. Concurrent describes things that are occurring, or people who are doing something, at the same time, such as “concurrent users” of a computer program. Consecutive refers to things that are arranged or happen in a sequential order. A criminal who serves a consecutive sentence does time for one conviction after another. If that person gets a concurrent sentence, he or she undergoes all punishments at the same time.

What Does concurrent Really Mean?

Things that are concurrent usually not only happen at the same time but also are similar to each other. So, for example, multitasking computers are capable of performing concurrent tasks. When we take more than one medication at a time, we run the risks involved with concurrent drug use. And at any multiplex theater several movies are running concurrently.

Examples of concurrent in a Sentence

… the last two Mysore Wars in the 1790s, like the concurrent European wars against Revolutionary France, demonstrated Britain's capacity to reassert and reconfigure itself in the wake of crushing global defeats.— Linda Colley, Captives, 2002Concurrent with the party conventions, an assortment of activists, professional pols and show-biz celebrities with populist pretensions … will gather for four days of speechifying, seminar giving and satirical merrymaking …— Andrew Ferguson, Time, 31 July 2000Added to other evidence, this led to Cooke's conviction and a sentence of two concurrent twenty-year terms.— David Fisher, Hard Evidence, 1995
the concurrent use of two medications
He's currently serving two concurrent life sentences for murder.

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'concurrent.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

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First Known Use of concurrent

History and Etymology for concurrent

Middle English concurant, concurrent, borrowed from Latin concurrent-, concurrens, present participle of concurrere "to assemble in haste, resort to in large numbers, collide, exist simultaneously, be in agreement" — more at concur

English Language Learners Definition of concurrent

Legal Definition of concurrent

1: occurring, arising, or operating at the same time often in relationship, conjunction, association, or cooperation
the power of taxation in the general and state governments is acknowledged to be concurrent — McCulloch v. Maryland, 17 U.S. 316 (1819)a concurrent tortious act — see also concurrent cause at cause, concurrent sentence at sentence

2: insuring the same property to the same extent under identical terms
concurrent fire policies